


To The Edge of Hell (Dance, My Love)

by neoculture_dorkology



Series: A Family Forged In Blood [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, M/M, Revenge, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 06:05:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16279193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neoculture_dorkology/pseuds/neoculture_dorkology
Summary: They're going straight to hell and all Johnny can do is hold on tight and hope that Taeil, at least, will survive this.





	To The Edge of Hell (Dance, My Love)

**Author's Note:**

> Crossposted on Asianfanfics under the username smolten.

Taeil _will_ survive this. 

Johnny and Taeil are standing at the top of a hill, the shorter man re-wrapping a bandage around Johnny's forearm, when Johnny realizes that he will go to any great lengths, do any and everything, even tear the world apart to ensure that Taeil will survive. He smiles softly down at his lover as Taeil carefully ties it off. By now, Taeil knows exactly what amount of pressure should be on the bandage, and could probably wrap Johnny's wounds blind. 

Thankfully, Taeil isn't blind. 

"Does it still hurt?" Taeil asks. His voice is soft – it's one of the things that hasn't changed about Taeil, over the ten long years that they've been chasing after shadows. Johnny could honestly die happily, if Taeil's voice was the last thing he heard. 

The tall man shakes his head and links his fingers with Taeil's. His lover's hand is smaller than his, but their size difference has always just been _right_ for the two of them. They don't laugh over it, they don't even speak of it. Many things go unsaid between the two of them – but there are things in life that do not need to be said. 

"How long before we reach the next town?" Taeil asks softly, pulling Johnny out of his thoughts once again. He has a habit of doing that, drawing Johnny out before he can slip too deep. It's another thing Johnny appreciates about him; Taeil keeps him rooted, keeps him sane.

"A day. Maybe two," Johnny answers. "It depends on how fast we drive and how many interruptions we face." 

Taeil doesn't need to ask what Johnny means by _interruptions_. He already knows. 

And maybe, just maybe, there's a hint of a smile forming as he pulls Johnny toward the battered old pickup that they've left parked at the base of the hill. Johnny knows not to question it. Taeil's smile has become a rarity, and to see it even at an odd moment makes Johnny's breath catch in his throat, because Taeil is still just as handsome as he was the day they met. 

 

* * *

 

It all started ten years ago, on a cold December night. Johnny can still remember it vividly; everything about that night is fresh, despite the passage of time. It's the same for Taeil, he can tell; Taeil sometimes startles out of sleep with a scream and it's all Johnny can do to calm him down and help him back to sleep. 

Remembering it is painful, but remembering it keeps the fire lit, keeps the two of them hunting for the man who took away their world.

At one point, Johnny had considered himself something of a pacifist; but everything had changed on that fatal December night. Now, he laughs at the thought of being a pacifist. A long, thick blood trail stretches behind he and Taeil – and Johnny doesn't regret becoming a killer. Not after what he and Taeil had watched that night. 

Beside him, Taeil shifts, his eyes still closed but the way he squirms as he rolls onto his other side, back to Johnny's chest, tells him that he is awake; the tall man exhales and drapes his arm over Taeil's waist. "Taeil?" 

"Mmm," Taeil whines a soft protest; he's tired, Johnny can tell. They both are. Uninterrupted sleep is rare for the two of them, and peaceful moments like this one even rarer. Johnny would love to treasure the moment, but these moments never last, and he can already hear the approaching footsteps. If he and Taeil want to have a fighting advantage, he needs Taeil to wake. 

"There's people coming. Up," Johnny instructs, his words none too gentle but the hand that strokes along Taeil's face the exact opposite. He could never hurt Taeil, not even marginally, and perhaps that makes him softer than he should be, but Johnny would cling to that softness for as long as he could – it kept him grounded, feeling human even despite all of the men he had killed. 

It rouses Taeil, who finally sits up, rubbing the remaining traces of sleep from his eyes. He'd fallen asleep wearing his shoes again. Under other circumstances, it might have annoyed Johnny; but now that they were living on the road, it was smart. Smarter than Johnny, who jerks his boots on in a hurry and cinches down the laces as Taeil grabs his jacket and pulls it on. 

"The window?" Taeil asks, words mashing together in his haste to get them out. Johnny still understands them. He always understands Taeil. Perhaps it comes from how long they've known one another, or perhaps it's because they're so similar; but Johnny is attuned to Taeil and every little detail about him.

Johnny hesitates, contemplates, decides. "The window," he agrees, and heaves it open. He peers down, makes sure there's no one waiting below, and steps out. 

He'll never get used to free-falling, fearing impact with the earth before Taeil catches up to him and slows their descent so they land gently. He'll never get used to the hammering of his heart as he squeezes Taeil's hand and _runs_ , legs feeling like jelly but never falling because a fall could cost their lives. Ten years have passed and even more will pass, but Johnny still isn't used to it and probably never will be. 

They make it to the truck in the dark, Taeil climbs in the driver's seat, and Johnny takes the passenger side. 

"Go to sleep," Taeil murmurs. 

The sound of the engine and Taeil's quiet humming are what lure Johnny into a dreamless rest.

 

* * *

 

Their quarry seems to want them dead almost as badly as they want _him_ to be. 

Taeil pulls the trigger, his handgun pressed under a man's chin, and is spattered with the resulting bodily fluids. The long knife in Johnny's right hand tears through throat and windpipe, his enemy falling to the floor. The gurgle is inaudible as Taeil fires again, twice in rapid succession; Taeil is cool, calculative, efficient. Being covered in the fluids of his enemies no longer comes as a distraction to him – it's one of the things that has changed about Taeil. 

A careless mishap had resulted in an ambush. Johnny and Taeil are lucky that they never venture anywhere unarmed; things might have turned uglier if they did. However, Johnny had his knife and Taeil his handgun, and those two weapons were what kept them alive in this unpleasant situation. 

Death is just around the corner at all times. Johnny knows that he and Taeil can't live their life constantly looking over their shoulders, but it's been ten years and they've made an amateur mistake. At this point, it's downright foolish of them. 

Nonetheless, foolish mistake or not, Johnny and Taeil are the ones who survive. Surrounded by the bloodbath, Johnny exhales his relief and links hands with Taeil once again. Taeil squeezes his hand, quiet assurance that he's still there and that he's fine, and Johnny stoops to pull his knife out of their last attacker's chest. 

"We need to go," Taeil murmurs, his eyes trained ahead of them. From the set of his lips, he sees or senses something. It's another thing Johnny doesn't question. He merely sheathes his knife and follows Taeil back to their vehicle, staying on the lookout for anything out of place. 

They aren't attacked again, but there's someone shadowing them. They're doing a piss-poor job of it, too; Johnny thinks he'd be amused if the situation wasn't so dire. He doesn't look over his shoulder or try to see who it is, because the person's identity doesn't matter. In the end, if their shadow causes trouble, Johnny will kill him. 

It's that simple, and it always has been. 

Taeil doesn't argue when Johnny pushes him in the driver's side and makes him climb over the center console rather than going around the vehicle. Johnny's peeling out before his door is even shut all the way, and Taeil is barely seated. 

"Never do that again," he does say, after what must have been an hour. It's not entirely unexpected – Johnny was careless, Taeil could have been hurt, both of them could have. The reprimand is gentle but it's there, and it's appreciated. Johnny probably wouldn't admit it if he were asked, but he relies on Taeil's gentle corrections when he does something stupid or thoughtless. It's part of their dynamic, and honestly neither of them would have it any other way.

Johnny thinks, however, that he would take anything so long as Taeil was there. Life, death, heaven, hell. Johnny's hopeless in the regard that he would follow Taeil to the ends of the earth and maybe even to the end of the galaxy. 

And maybe someday that will be his downfall, but Johnny thinks it will be a damn good way to go. 

 

* * *

 

They're out on the open road, nothing but crop fields and pastures visible for miles around. Taeil's rolled the windows down, the wind tangling through his hair. His feet rest on the dash, his eyes trained on the passing cornfields, and Johnny thinks he looks exhausted. 

He can't sleep, though. They have moments like that, where they might be totally exhausted but just can't fall asleep. Sometimes the memories keep them awake, sometimes it's the feeling that there's danger lurking around every corner. No matter what it is, it's another one of those things that Johnny can just _tell_ about Taeil. 

"Watch the road," Taeil murmurs. It no longer surprises Johnny to be caught staring. Taeil has always been keen; and more often than not, Johnny's stares are likened to lasers, attempting to burn holes in his face. Johnny no longer argues with him, because it's hard to win an argument with Taeil, and he just doesn't want to fight with him. 

Loss had made he and Taeil become more attuned to one another. 

As though he knows what Johnny's thinking about, which he might – _Taeil has always been keen_ , Taeil's gaze shifts to him. "We'll find him, Johnny. We'll find him, and we'll kill him."

Johnny draws in a breath, holds it for a moment, lets it out. "You're right," he finally agrees, and Taeil looks back out the window. "We will." 

They'd been searching for ten years – they weren't going to stop until they'd gotten what they were after. 

Vengeance. 

 

* * *

 

They've stopped in another small town, long enough for Johnny to fuel up the tank and Taeil to buy a few necessary provisions. They've been living off of money they've taken from people they've had to kill – it's not a way of living that either of them enjoy, but they do what they must to survive. Perhaps they can settle somewhere once they've completed their mission. Taeil always used to talk about a small house in the countryside. It was something he didn't speak of anymore, but Johnny still remembers.

Taeil opening the passenger door of the truck drags him out of his thoughts again, and he stops pumping gas. The tank is full, Taeil seems to be done, and there's a tension in the air that tells Johnny they should leave immediately. He screws in the gas cap and twists around to find Taeil beside him, opening the driver's side door. 

"I'm driving," he explains shortly. Johnny nods and goes to the passenger side. In moments like these he knows better than ever not to argue with Taeil.

"What's wrong?" Johnny finally asks, when they've put some distance between themselves and the town. Johnny takes this opportunity to study Taeil – he's changed, in both the mental and the physical aspects. His hair's a little longer, a dark black-brown rather than the stark blonde it used to be – and the red, when Taeil had a mullet and they were dumb kids. He doesn't smile much anymore, his lips more often pulled into a frown than the infectious smile that used to light a room.

Taeil's earrings aren't studs anymore, they're long and large and attention-grabbing. His clothes aren't simple anymore, they're elaborate and dark and similarly attention-grabbing. Perhaps it's not the best attire for someone who lives on the road, but it's not the law they're running from, and they're technically not running from something. They're running toward something, with the intent to destroy it. To destroy _him_. 

And his hands aren't clean – blood that isn't actually there soaks between his fingers, over and through them.

But he's still _Taeil_. He's still the man Johnny fell in love with, even if that man has changed over the passage of time. Hell, _both_ of them have changed, in ways that they can't exactly reverse.

As always, Taeil's quiet voice is what drags Johnny out of his contemplation. "Reindel, Johnny. That's where he is."

 _Reindel._  It isn't somewhere Johnny wants to go, no matter the circumstances, but it would be the perfect place for their quarry to run to. Nonetheless, his throat feels a little on the dry side. "Reindel? Are you sure?" 

Taeil inhales and it's heavy, tense, just hanging in the air between them. There's a tense silence before he finally says, "Yes, Johnny. I'm sure. Where else would he be? Reindel's the ideal location for his kind. He has nothing to fear if he holes himself up there." 

"Reindel is hell on earth," Johnny murmurs. 

Without taking his eyes off of the road, Taeil responds, "What better place for the devil?" 

After that, they drove in silence until sunset. Taeil had started nodding off, so Johnny had taken the wheel – now Taeil was sleeping in the passenger seat, head resting against the truck's foggy window. There's a tiny, fond smile on Johnny's face as he drives, but of course the moment couldn't last.

It isn't long before Taeil stirs. 

" _Jeno_ ," he breathes, thrashing around until he was curled on his other side, face turned in Johnny's direction. His brows furrow and he whimpers; it's a sound Johnny recognizes, for he makes it every time he has those nightmares. 

When Taeil cries Jeno's name again, sounding torn, Johnny's right hand slides off of the steering wheel and he shakes Taeil gently. It doesn't take much to rouse him from a nightmare, thankfully, and it's not long before Taeil is clinging to Johnny's hand and crying quietly. Even after ten years, Johnny doesn't know how to comfort him – doesn't know if there _is_ a way to comfort him. 

"I'm here, love," he whispers, and says nothing more.

Taeil's death grip eventually eases on Johnny's hand, and he sits up, buckling his seatbelt. From the way he stares straight ahead, eyes boring through the windshield and his jaw clenched in the way it did when he tried to stop himself from crying, Johnny can tell that Taeil won't be getting back to sleep. 

"I want to tear him apart," Taeil whispers. 

"I know. I do, too." Johnny doesn't know what else to say; there _isn't_ anything else to say. It's a raw, painful desire, a wish to end someone in the worst ways that the two of them can manage. It should go without saying, but this is Taeil – with Johnny he has always been expressive, earnest. 

"We will," Taeil continues, his voice so soft that Johnny can barely hear what he has to say. "We'll destroy him."

"Yes, we will." Johnny links his fingers with Taeil's. "I promise you that."

 

* * *

 

"We're going to Reindel – we can't exactly go on a law-abiding citizen's ship," Taeil points out. He's perched on the tailgate of their pickup, looking for all the world like a teenager. Johnny snorts at the thought, because it's been a long time since either of them were teenagers and Taeil would probably stare him down if he said that. 

"You're right. So we find a band of cutthroats and ask them to take us aboard as passengers." 

Taeil hums, fingers trailing the faded scar on his forearm. It's an old battle scar, eight or nine years old. Johnny doesn't remember the exact timeframe. "I was thinking less of _ask_ , more of _make_."

"How do you propose we do that?" Johnny leans against the tailgate, Taeil's knee pressing against his thigh. It's comfortable – being in close contact with Taeil is always comfortable.

Taeil's eyes flash a mystic cobalt, before settling back to a cool brown. "I can think of a trick or two." 

"You're going to magic them," Johnny says, as though it's a guess – really, Taeil's meaning is obvious, but they both know that, and they both know Johnny is speaking playfully. He has a habit of doing so, but it almost never makes Taeil smile. His smiles have become rare, after all, and Johnny treasures them whenever he lets one slip. 

Today is not one of the days Taeil smiles. He merely hums his agreement and slips off of the tailgate, landing gently and quietly. It's graceful – Taeil hasn't lost the grace he had when they first met, and Johnny doubts he ever will. 

Johnny nods to the port, and to the busy ships that are coming and going. "Have any ships caught your eye, Taeil?"  

Taeil hums again. When it comes to things like this, Taeil has always been a bit particular. He picks and chooses carefully, after plenty of observation, and no amount of rushing will make him hurry. Johnny, however, isn't attempting to rush – he's merely asking. They've been in their location for close to an hour, discussing transport to Reindel, and Taeil's eyes have been scouring the port since their arrival. 

"That one," Taeil finally says, his eyes fixated on a ship that has been docked for almost as long as they've been there. "That's the one." 

Just like that, the decision is made. Johnny grabs their bag – they're traveling light, only packing weapons and a change of clothes apiece. Taeil's weapons are stored in what he likes to call his magical closet. Johnny isn't magical, and therefore carries his in the bag. Knives, two handguns, and the occasional explosive. His weapons don't vary as much as Taeil's, but that's fine. Johnny doesn't need the variety to be as dangerous. 

They're headed straight for hell, and maybe those weapons aren't enough for what awaits them there, but they won't back down. They can't back down. If their quarry is truly hiding on Reindel, they will find him, and when they do, they will destroy him. 

 

* * *

 

There was only one member of the crew that Taeil wasn't able to magic, and it was the cabin boy. Taeil merely couldn't bring himself to – the boy wasn't a threat, and Johnny could tell he reminded him of Jeno. He reminded Johnny of Jeno, too. The resemblance was there, perhaps even painfully so.

Even after ten long years, some wounds just don't heal.

Taeil's eyes haven't left the cabin boy in the past five minutes. He's studying him, expression hard for even Johnny to read; the taller of the two decides not to try and decipher Taeil's expression and closes his eyes. They're seated on the deck, awaiting their arrival at the island of Reindel. 

It isn't long before Johnny hears the soft scamper of approaching footsteps. Johnny cracks one eye open to see the cabin boy cautiously sitting down beside Taeil – keeping distance between them, of course, but beside him all the same. Taeil had probably waved him over; Johnny's eye slides back shut. There's no need for him to join Taeil in staring at the poor boy. He's probably already uncomfortable, and Johnny doesn't want to worsen that discomfort.

It's quiet for a few moments. Johnny's keeping his ears pricked to hear anything that either of them might say. He's _bored_. He hasn't been bored in a long time. Traveling by water, however, is boring. Johnny isn't driving, isn't fighting, isn't sleeping. Therefore, boredom has set in, pushing him to the verge of restlessness. 

Taeil isn't saying anything, so Johnny speaks first. "What's your name, kid?" 

"Moonbin, sir," the cabin boy answers, hesitant. 

"Moonbin. I'm Johnny, and this is Taeil." Johnny pats Taeil's knee, and hears Moonbin shifting. Perhaps they're making him uncomfortable – Johnny can't say if they are or not, with his eyes closed. 

It falls silent again after that, until Moonbin quietly asks, "Why are you going to Reindel, Mr. Johnny?"

"To kill a man." Taeil answers for him, finally speaking up. His words are close to monotonous, and Johnny cracks his other eye open to study Taeil's face. He's gazing out into the distance, as though trying to lose himself in the horizon. Johnny nudges him with his foot to pull him out of it, Taeil making eye contact with him and then turning his attention back to Moonbin.

The cabin boy doesn't look surprised with his answer. He hums, running his finger back and forth on the deck, and doesn't pursue that line of conversation – he instead conjures another. "What's Reindel like?" 

"Have you never been?" Taeil inquires. His voice has softened a little – it's because Moonbin's a child, and a child who looks like Jeno, at that. Johnny's sure of it. There's a part of Taeil that can never let go of being a parent, and maybe there's a part of Johnny that is the same. 

Moonbin shakes his head. "This is my first trip there. Captain says it's rough." 

"Your captain's right. Reindel is very rough," Johnny murmurs. "That's where anyone who wants to escape the law goes. On Reindel, you can get away with anything. The only thing you have to worry about is being stronger than anyone who might mess with you." 

All three of them go quiet after that. Johnny closes his eye again, and focuses on slowing his breathing down. It's relaxing, and he knows that with Taeil at his side, he is safe. 

 

* * *

 

Over the course of their voyage, Moonbin hangs around them often, once his duties are complete. Taeil's developing a soft spot for him, and it's evident in the way he listens intently when Moonbin speaks and anything he utters in return is quiet, soft – displaying a gentleness that Johnny had thought was boxed away. It's apparent Johnny had thought wrong; perhaps this softness will last only as long as they remain on the ship, but its appearance is still enough to prove it does exist. 

Like everything else that involves Taeil, it brings a smile to Johnny's face when he sees how Taeil and Moonbin interact. It reminds him of how Taeil and Jeno had been, and it's a bittersweet memory, but most that involve their son are. 

Johnny pulls himself out of his pondering, focus shifting to the preparations he's making. It isn't going to be long until their ship docks; Reindel isn't far, and Johnny wants to be prepared when they arrive. He knows that Reindel is a dangerous place. It's possibly the most dangerous place one could travel to – _hell on earth_ , as it had come to be called. It's an island where there is no _law_ – strength and power determine everything in Reindel. Johnny's heard the tales, and has planned accordingly. He's praying that Taeil, at least, will survive their vendetta. The odds are stacked against them. Both of them know it, and yet they aren't going to back down. 

They're both prepared to die, after they've avenged the death of their only son. Not before, never before; they cannot fall until they've fulfilled their quest to destroy the man who destroyed their world. That determination has been a driving force for the past ten years, and they won't give up now. Not when they're close to their goal. 

Moonbin darts off to attend to his duties once again, and Taeil slinks to Johnny, sitting beside him. He's quiet, observing as Johnny sharpens one of his many knives. Johnny doesn't speak either, doesn't acknowledge Taeil's presence. It isn't necessary, because Taeil knows Johnny's aware of his presence. They don't trade unneeded words, especially when surrounded by potential enemies. 

(It's not that the crew is a threat, because they aren't. They can't escape from Taeil's magic.) 

 

* * *

 

At first glance, Reindel isn't such a bad place. It seems normal enough, but that's at first glance – and with eyes that aren't practiced in picking out the dangers hidden by a pretty illusion. Johnny and Taeil have no trouble seeing through that illusion. Knives are being passed, pockets picked, a man stabbed in the back and pushed into a cart of straw. 

Johnny's size and Taeil's eyes, which flame cobalt, are what cause others to move away from them. They move with an air that warns away the riffraff and thugs, aided by the broadsword Johnny has strapped to his back just for the occasion. They're men on a mission, and no one stands in their way. 

They don't, however, drop their guards. All of that could change in an instant, and they could be forced to fight their way out of a nasty situation. Johnny's hand rests on the hilt of his broadsword, a gentle warning, and Taeil merely gazes at those around him to warn them away. Even among circles of the magically inclined, Taeil is a creature that is feared. Danger wraps around him like a cloak, but usually one has to get close to Taeil to realize _he_ is more dangerous than Johnny. 

Selecting an inn isn't a hard decision. Taeil and Johnny already know that they're not safe, no matter where they stay. Reindel is an island where _safety_ doesn't exist. They're as likely to be attacked in the tiny building they choose as they are anywhere else. They've chosen it because of its location – it's near the known lair of their quarry, and close to the dock. The room is inexpensive, which could stem from the two of them intimidating the innkeeper, or might be a result of the mysterious stain on the floor and one wall. It reeks of death, further evidence of the darkness that oozes throughout Reindel's streets. 

Taeil is unperturbed and unclips his cloak, muttering a spell. A poof of smoke rises from the mattress and he makes himself comfortable – Johnny's seen him do this many times before. It's how Taeil deals with bugs; a single spell sends them scurrying, avoiding the two of them like the plague. If Taeil feels particularly malicious, he sets them upon someone else. Johnny has also seen _that_ before, and never wishes to see it again. 

"We'll go after him tonight," Taeil murmurs, rolling over onto his side. It's a silent invitation for Johnny to join him. "We're so close." 

It's something that doesn't need to be said, because both of them are very aware of how close they are. There's a long line of trashed and bloodied hotel rooms, dead bodies, and festering secrets behind them, and nothing but danger and violence lies ahead of them, but they're ready to meet all of it head on. 

Johnny slides his broadsword off of his back and leans it against the wall beside the bed. He kicks off his shoes –no matter how many times he has to tug them on in a hurry, he will never learn– and lowers himself down beside Taeil, back pressed against his and a knife in one hand. Safety measures, habits they've fallen into in order to protect themselves. Johnny wields a knife, Taeil sleeps with magic bubbling just beneath his skin. Taeil rests, Johnny remains wide awake and aware of everything that happens around them. 

Years of fighting and running, chasing after a man elusive enough that he might as well have been made out of fog, have made them dangerous. Both of them are killers now, able to take life without the bat of an eyelash. The people they had been ten years ago seem far out of reach, and yet they're still each other. Johnny knows that Taeil is still Taeil. A lot of things have changed, but he's still _Taeil_ and Johnny still loves him. It's probably a large part of what has kept Johnny hanging on for so long. 

Guarding one another's backs, keeping cautious eyes on those around them, taking turns sleeping; it's melted into habit. Johnny and Taeil have been doing it for a decade now. They're masters at a game called survival, a game that those who play against them lose.

It's not that they're bloodthirsty. Taeil and Johnny merely wish to see this through to the end, and that means removing any obstacle that stands in their way – forcibly, more often than not. Johnny doesn't particularly enjoy it, but he acknowledges that it's necessary. 

Time slips away from Johnny; it isn't long before he finds himself rolling over to shake Taeil. He's gentle, as always, but it does the trick and Taeil is shifting, sitting bolt upright and nearly cracking their heads together. Taeil usually doesn't rise in such a lively manner, but Johnny understands; they're so _close_. They've spent ten long years chasing after shadows, and have finally hunted them to their last hiding spot. 

Taeil twitches aside the curtains and peers out, his expression unreadable before he lets the curtain fall back into its original position. "It's time," he murmurs, voice quiet and scratchy. Johnny almost doesn't catch what he says, and it takes him a minute to process it – it registers as he's lacing up his boots, and it actually hits him then. Their quest for revenge could be over soon, and maybe they could have normal lives again. 

Johnny saves that thought for later and straps his broadsword back on. Daydreaming would do nothing but get him, and possibly Taeil, killed in a combat situation. He eases the window open, holding it for Taeil to slip through and then diving out himself. It's not a great window, because it slides shut as the two of them slip into the night. It served its purpose, though, and therefore, Johnny could care less about the window. 

The streets are empty, and it raises Johnny's suspicions. On edge, he grips the hilt of his broadsword once again. There's something off. He can feel it in the air, and judging from Taeil's behavior, he can also feel it. 

Despite being aware that something is afoot, the two of them continue onward. They won't allow it to deter them. There's no telling how long it might take them to hunt their quarry back down if he escapes them once again – Johnny and Taeil don't want to spend another decade chasing phantoms. Johnny's tired, and he's sure Taeil is too; they just want this to be over.

The man they've been hunting for the past decade is lurking in a large house in the middle of the sprawling mess that could be considered Reindel's capital city. At the very least, it's the closest thing to a capital that the island has; there's no real structure to Reindel. It's a mess of blood, violence, and anarchy – altogether, an unappealing stew. 

The house doesn't appear to be guarded, but both Taeil and Johnny know better than to put faith in appearances. They conceal themselves in the shadows of a nearby alley, and Taeil releases strings of magic into the air. 

It doesn't take him long to whisper the locations of the guards and the route they should take to escape notice. Johnny follows his lead, because Taeil is in his element now, and Johnny really isn't.

 

* * *

 

The two of them make it inside undetected, slipping in through an open window on the ground floor. Johnny unclips two of his knives from his belt and keeps them at the ready as they venture out of the library. The hallway they emerge into is empty, dimly lit by candles rather than electricity. A ball of flame curls to life above one of Taeil's hands, casting more light around them. Ahead of them lay a staircase leading to the second floor – Johnny has the feeling that the man they seek is somewhere above, and they need to go up.

"The staircase is rigged," Taeil whispers, so quietly Johnny almost misses it. "Follow my footsteps exactly." 

Ascending the staircase is tense. Johnny does as he was told and follows Taeil's exact steps, but progress is slow and the adrenaline is pumping through his veins. Taeil didn't elaborate on how the staircase was rigged, but explosives are highly likely and Johnny would almost put money on them. He's not a betting person, though, and he doubts Taeil would appreciate the gesture. (He'd call it _fooling around_ ; Johnny knows from experience.) 

They've barely stepped off of the staircase when Johnny notices that Taeil's frown has deepened. Something's clearly bothering him, and Johnny wants to know what it is, but first, they need to get out of the open. It's unlikely that someone would be using the stairs at this time of night, but they aren't taking any chances.

They find themselves in a restroom – it isn't the greatest place to hide, but they're only going to stay for a few short moments. Taeil's checking over his weapons and Johnny his own, insuring once more that everything is in order. It's perhaps the seventh time they've done so since departing from the inn, but the caution is necessary. A malfunctioning weapon could cost both of them their lives. 

"Taeil," Johnny whispers, "what's wrong?" 

Taeil's lips press together firmly, his expression darkening. For a moment, he's silent, but Johnny waits patiently – as always, Taeil caves. "The staircase was rigged, Johnny, and there were plenty of guards waiting to ambush people at certain points. Doesn't that seem strange to you?" 

"He could just be overly cautious, Taeil. I doubt they knew we were coming tonight," Johnny answered, trying to reassure Taeil. 

"Johnny, he knows who we are and that we're out for his blood," Taeil reminds. "I honestly doubt he _doesn't_ know that we're coming for him." 

Johnny inhales. "Then I suggest we go and kill him before he realizes we're already here." 

Taeil nods, his weapons vanishing – he's put them back in the magical closet. Johnny smiles when he tucks away his own weapons. He, unlike Taeil, doesn't have a magical closet, but it suits him just fine. He's comfortable with the weight of his weapons, and feels much more secure with them on his person. 

(It's a false sense of security at this point in time, because neither of them are truly safe. They're in the most dangerous place they've ever been, and are quite possibly marching to their deaths.)

 

* * *

 

They've looked in at least ten rooms by this point, scouring them for their quarry. All of them were empty, barren of traces of life and with only the most spartan of furnishings. It suggests that the house hasn't been occupied for long, despite an informant telling them this was a common dwelling for the man they sought. It strengthens the unease Johnny is feeling, and Taeil's as well. The set of Taeil's jaw tells Johnny that he's working hard to keep from worrying at his lip – a habit which surfaces whenever Taeil's mind isn't at ease. 

Johnny's beginning to worry they'll be discovered before they find their target. It's not altogether unlikely. Their quarry isn't foolish enough to drop his guard, even in the midst of his own domain; hence the guards downstairs, and those that are most likely somewhere near. If there are guards on this floor, Johnny doesn't know how they haven't encountered them yet. 

The next door they find themselves before is cracked open. It raises alarms, considering that all other doors, including restroom doors, have been closed; however, Taeil still sends a prickle of magic into the room and then nudges open the door with his foot. 

Thankfully, nothing jumps out at them – or so much as moves. The room seems, at first glance, to be just another empty room in the long line of rooms that Johnny and Taeil have searched. Johnny's ready to move on, but Taeil suddenly moves forward, his steps silent but swift as he crosses to the far end of the room and jerks his hand through the air.

Iridescent strings reminiscent of a spider's webbing material trickle to the floor, revealing a long, dark passageway.

"Magical weaving," Taeil whispers, hoarse. "I've seen it before." 

Johnny doesn't remember Taeil ever mentioning magical weaving, which leads him to assume that Taeil had seen it before they met. It's a stark reminder that both of them had lives before one another; it seems so unreal now to think of it. Taeil's been a constant in Johnny's life for long enough that it's hard for him to recall a time _before_ Taeil came stumbling into his world.

"Is it a bad sign?" 

Taeil tilts his head; he's considering the question. Wetting his lips, he shrugs. "It doesn't take an overwhelming level of magical skill. If we're lucky, the weaver won't be too powerful."

Though Taeil says it in a manner that is probably meant to be reassuring, Johnny can't help but worry that the weaver _would_ be too powerful. It's not a thought that he should be having as Taeil leads him into the passage, but Johnny has never been able to help the racing of his thoughts. It's a flaw that not even Taeil has broken him of. 

The flame over Taeil's hand flickers and dies, but Johnny doesn't get to voice his curiosity; there's light stretching into the passage. Johnny sheathes his knives and draws two longer blades, preparing himself for battle. Taeil remains empty-handed, but that isn't unusual. 

 _Barge in?_  Johnny mouths as they creep forward. Taeil takes a moment to process the message, and then gives him a short shake of the head. They will proceed quietly, in case their quarry is asleep. If he is, it will make things so much easier for them; but in all likelihood, he's awake.

(Johnny's certain that there will be a fight. The man they hunt isn't someone who will die easily.)

The two of them step out into a well-lit room – a mistake. Their quarry has been waiting for them, sitting in a chair before the doorway with a relaxed posture and a self-satisfied smirk. Guards line the room, their weapons trained on Johnny and Taeil. It's a bad situation, and Johnny berates himself for walking right into it. Though it was impossible for him to know that this was a setup, he should have been more wary – they've been hunting quite a sly fox, and they let their edges dull at the wrong moment. 

"You two took longer than expected," the man sighs, crossing one leg over the other. He sits in a pose that one would expect of a self-centered psychopath – an elbow rests on the arm of his chair, chin on his hand. The smirk stays, and Johnny burns to wipe it off. A few flicks of his knife, and the man would no longer be able to smirk. 

"Dongyoung," Taeil growls. Someone works the action of a shotgun; Taeil's gaze snaps to them instead. The air in the room is freezing now. Taeil is angry, perhaps even furious; Johnny hopes for the best, but Taeil when angry is a bomb with a short, and easily lit, fuse. 

"Hello, Taeil. It's been a while." Dongyoung's smirk fades and turns into a smile – one with jagged, condescending edges, but a smile nonetheless. "It feels like it was only yesterday when I saw you last, but you've changed so much. And Johnny, too," he adds, his attention shifting. "You both seem... sharper."

Johnny can practically feel the ice building in the air, the cold sharp against bare skin. Taeil's anger bleeds magic into the air, the first lines of frost gathering on his clothes and the floor around him beginning to ice over. 

Dongyoung smiles; this time, it borders on the edge of irritation and perhaps even anger. "A little bit of ice, Taeil? Are you expecting me to turn tail and run? You may have decided you won't reject your gift anymore, but that doesn't automatically make you my equal." Heat radiates from him, meeting the cold air and creating tiny whirlwinds in the air. Both he and Taeil are focused on one another, gazes locked and presences pushing against each other. Johnny doesn't want to be caught in the middle of it, but he won't leave Taeil's side – he stands firm.

"I don't want you to run, Dongyoung." Ice lances out from the floor, forming sharp spikes – a threat as frigid as Taeil's tone. "I want to tear you into little, tiny pieces." 

When flames begin licking around Dongyoung, Johnny sees the nervousness in the guards' demeanors. They probably haven't witnessed Dongyoung dirtying his own hands before. He seems to be someone who would let others handle his dirty work. It's just another in the long list of traits that Johnny dislikes about him; at the top of that list are his sadism and cruelty. 

Fire and ice touch, steam forming in the air, but neither Dongyoung or Taeil budge; they're glaring into one another's eyes, as though attempting to kill with gaze alone. Their magics continue to push against one another, a physical manifestation of the mutual hatred that practically curls off of them. It's thick in the air – rage, hatred, intent to kill. 

Surprisingly, Dongyoung steps back; the fire retreats with him, drawing back until none remains. It sets off all of Johnny's alarms, and perhaps he's moving before Dongyoung says anything; he grabs Taeil and makes a break for it, back into the hallway they'd emerged from. A gunshot echoes behind them, but they're already gone and it was probably a mere delayed reaction. 

There are footsteps following them, but Johnny knows that none of them will be Dongyoung's. He's set his guards on them in the hopes that they'll be able to kill or chase away the two of them. Unfortunately for him, Johnny and Taeil aren't so easily discouraged. 

 

* * *

 

To discourage their pursuers, Taeil froze the floor behind them – it wasn't smooth ice, but a death trap of small spines and others that were as tall as Taeil himself. At the very least, it would slow those behind them down. 

They'd walked right into a trap, but Dongyoung had been slow to spring it. Johnny's sure Dongyoung is probably kicking himself in the ass for that; Taeil and Johnny may have made a mistake, but Dongyoung had as well. It was a mistake that gave the two of them the chance to escape with their lives and all of their limbs intact.

They throw caution to the wind, Johnny hopping over the rail and dropping to the first floor after sheathing his knives. He landed in a roll, years of practice allowing him to safely break his fall. Taeil, on the other hand, slides down the banister and slips off when he reaches the ground – it's probably a safer way to descend than the one Johnny had employed, but Johnny is far from safety-conscious. 

"Front door?" 

Johnny nods and pulls a handgun from the inside of his jacket. Taeil also arms himself, with a handgun pulled from his magical closet – it's the one he uses most, one which he seems to be particularly fond of. Taeil is the sort of person who has favorites of everything, and Johnny assumes that this handgun is his favorite firearm. 

They move onward, fire in Taeil's free hand lighting the way. Though they probably could escape through the point of entry, there's no longer any point in avoiding the front door – they had slipped in through the window in order to avoid detection, but that's no longer an issue. They're trying to get out, regardless of whether they're detected or not. 

As Taeil had told Johnny before they broke in, there are guards at the door; there aren't many, however, and there certainly aren't enough to be a problem. It passes in a blur of bloodshed and gunshots, and then they're racing down the street. The likelihood of Dongyoung remaining in the building seems low; they need to find him before he can get too far. 

Johnny doubts it will be that simple. They've spent ten years chasing after Dongyoung; it won't be easy to corner and kill him.

"Johnny," Taeil murmurs. "Do you hear that?"

He tilts his head and listens; there's a low murmuring, and the sound of quiet footsteps. It alerts Johnny to the presence of others; most likely, they're attempting to be stealthy, and they're certainly up to no good. He can't help but grimace; this is Reindel. Here, danger lurks on every street, in every alley, and behind every tree. He and Taeil are at risk no matter where they go on this island. Safety is a thing that doesn't truly exist on Reindel. 

They're too exposed in the middle of the street like this; they're right in the open, where anyone can take a shot at them or see them without actually _looking_. Johnny applies gentle pressure to Taeil's shoulder, guiding him to the cover of the buildings at the side of the street. Taeil closes his hand, and the flame dies out; it's too dark to properly see without light, but their eyes will adjust so that they can make out just enough to keep from running into things or people. The flame would attract more unwanted attention, anyway. Johnny knows that most aren't observant enough to notice two people prowling a street in the dark, but a source of light is often quite noticeable – even to the oblivious.

Taeil holds one hand out, and black strings of magic slip forth from his fingertips. It's a seeking spell – Taeil's used it many times over the decade they've  been pursuing Dongyoung. It still leaves Johnny in awe to see the strings float away, sometimes going against the wind. There's only a light breeze, however, and the strings aren't pushing against it. 

"It seems he's headed for the other end of the island," Johnny whispers. It isn't a comforting thought. Reindel's a large island, and it isn't unlikely that they'll have to cut their way through more of Dongyoung's lackeys. Johnny doesn't believe the ones that were in Dongyoung's house are the only ones stationed on the island. Dongyoung had seized power over Reindel, and in such a violent place, violent uprisings were far from rare. To protect his own interests –in other words, power– Dongyoung would undoubtedly have more men stationed over Reindel. 

"The island's a minefield," Taeil replies, just as quietly. "It's probably crawling with his soldiers from this end to the other." 

It's a reality both of them are aware of. It's by no means a pretty one, but it's the reality they face. 

 

* * *

 

They don't get very far before they're attacked. Johnny's tempted to swap his gun for blades, but there are too many of them and they need to get this over with quickly. The strings are floating steadily onward, and though Taeil can always find the strings because of the magical connection, it symbolizes that Dongyoung is getting away from them. Johnny isn't ready for another decade of pursuing Dongyoung – he wants to get this over with.

Taeil wipes blood off of his face with a grimace and starts after his magic strings. Johnny holsters his handgun again and runs after him – Taeil might be crazy enough to run with a gun in hand, but Johnny isn't. 

Their progress is slowed by another group of attackers. Johnny doesn't know where they're coming from; out of the woodwork, perhaps, like the cockroaches they are. He'd rather kill them than give it much thought, because Dongyoung certainly isn't waiting for them. Johnny fires off two shots, and that's the last of it; he's out of ammunition, and can't reload in the middle of a fight. He resorts to his knives, sharp blades tearing through flesh with a vengeance. It's messy, it's brutal, but adrenaline is pumping through Johnny's veins, and he thinks of nothing but the battle at hand. 

When Johnny registers that the fight has ended, Taeil's wiping blood off of his face again with a grimace too similar to the one from before. He looks like a grumpy cat, and Johnny can't help but smile; Taeil glances at him, a curious look, and Johnny merely shrugs. Were he to explain, Taeil would scold him for not thinking of the task at hand. It's just how Taeil is – Johnny once again finds himself reminded of how Taeil has changed. 

Johnny fishes ammunition out of his pouch and loads his pistol while Taeil checks to ensure all of their assailants are dead. He's methodical, cautious, and thorough; Taeil leaves no survivors, but it's his own way of showing mercy. Taeil isn't someone who allows his enemy to suffer a slow death. He puts them out of their misery before he moves on. 

(Things will be different for Dongyoung. He has to suffer, even if it's only a fraction of the torment he deserves.)

Gun loaded, Johnny tucks it away once more. None of their enemies survived their fight, and Taeil looks at Johnny for a short moment before he's running again and Johnny's following. 

_Johnny will follow Taeil to the ends of the earth and back again. That's just how it is._

The strings lead them in the most direct route, which means Taeil and Johnny often find themselves climbing over walls or having to skirt around the buildings that the strings can just pass through; for a moment, Johnny thinks that it must be nice to be made entirely of magical energy. He snorts at himself, however, for thinking something like that. His mind is wandering back and forth, but thankfully it snaps to attention when it needs to. 

Taeil abruptly halts, and Johnny manages to stop himself before colliding with him. He doesn't voice a question, because Taeil's body has tensed in the way that it does when his warning bells have gone off. Johnny's quick to draw his handgun, moving as quietly and slowly as he can. If there's something lurking in the darkness, he doesn't want to be standing empty-handed when it strikes.

After a few moments of silence, Taeil squares his shoulders and forges on ahead. If anything is there, it doesn't make its presence known, and the two of them pass through in peace. 

The street they emerge into is a well-lit one. The streetlights are functioning and there are people on the street – they stare at them as they pass, some eyes lingering on their handguns for longer than others. It's evident that curiosity isn't something that is veiled in Reindel; and Taeil and Johnny are armed strangers who walk at a pace that isn't far from becoming a run. The questioning stares are bearable. 

Taeil's focus never shifts from his strings. He leads Johnny out of the light and into the darkness; they're headed for the edge of the city, out into Reindel's wilderness. Taeil summons fire to light their way again, because the dangers of people finding them are less of a detriment than the possibility of twisted ankles or broken necks. Reindel is treacherous in every manner. 

Perhaps they've cleared that area of the city of Dongyoung's men; no one attempts to stop them as they weave among the buildings and make their way out into the darkness. The city was a ramshackle and dilapidated one, but Johnny feels that the dangers have lessened now that they're out of it. 

They're finally catching up to the strings, and Johnny's beginning to feel hopeful; soon, they might be able to leave Reindel. Once they've killed Dongyoung, there won't be any reason for the two of them to remain on the island any longer. They can return to their beaten old pickup and find a place to settle down. 

Of course, Johnny doesn't allow himself to get his hopes too high. Complications could be lurking anywhere, and he knows that. A decade of chasing Dongyoung around taught him that the man is full of tricks, and that thinking things will be over soon will often only end in disappointment. 

It isn't long before the going becomes treacherous. Taeil and Johnny have to watch their step, in order to avoid holes in the ground or tripping on branches or rocks. It slows them considerably, but the only comfort rests in that Dongyoung must have also been slowed down considerably by the terrain. They'll keep pushing onward until they catch him. They've no other choice.

 

* * *

 

The strings have picked up speed again. Dongyoung's either running foolishly over uneven terrain, or he's made it across the minefield of holes, rocks, saplings, and other various obstructions. Johnny doubts it's the former, since Dongyoung seems to have enough instinct for self-preservation to move carefully until he's made it to even ground.

Taeil and Johnny are still making slow progress, carefully picking their way along. This part of Reindel's landscape is pockmarked and distressed from the many battles that have been fought over it. Some of the obstacles they've woven around or stepped over have been gear, or bones; the dead are left in the open, a grim reminder of the purpose that this field had served for generations of the past. 

By the time they've made it across the field and see the lights of another town, the strings are out of sight. Dongyoung has put even more distance between them, but the two of them are preparing to cut that distance in half. There's a truck parked on the outskirts of the town; stealing is a new low for them, but all of the inhabitants of Reindel are criminals and nothing on this island ever stays in one man's hands for long. The truck has probably already passed through several individuals' hands; Johnny and Taeil are just two more who will take it, but they'll abandon it once they've caught up with Dongyoung.

The owner of the truck left the key in the ignition; it's a mere matter of breaking the driver's side window and unlocking the door so they can get in. Johnny shakes his head at the idiocy of it all, but maybe the truck's owners decided that it was probably going to be stolen either way, and not to make it too difficult. 

(Johnny appreciates it. He knows how to hotwire cars, but it takes time and patience that he really doesn't have.) 

It's surprising that no one tries to stop them. Johnny and Taeil face no obstructions when they drive through the town, finding themselves on an actual road. Taeil doesn't give any directions, so Johnny resolves to follow that road until he does. 

"Do you think Dongyoung's still on foot?" 

Taeil glances at Johnny from where he had been staring out the window, hand still closed after he had put out the flame, and shrugs. "There's no telling. If I were him, I wouldn't have stayed on foot for much longer. Maybe he snagged a vehicle, too." 

"If he didn't, it should be easier to catch up with him," Johnny comments. Taeil nods his agreement. "But the rule of thumb is that nothing's ever easy for the two of us." 

Taeil snorts at that, and turns his attention back to the night as it passes them by. 

They drive in a relatively peaceful silence until Taeil sits up a little straighter. "Turn left," he orders. 

Johnny does as he's told – Taeil's the one with the connection to the strings, so he knows where they need to go. He turns off the road and drives into the dark, toward the treeline. They won't be able to get the truck through it, so he puts it in park and shuts off the engine. 

Taeil's the first one out of the vehicle. He isn't waiting around, as he heads for the trees and Johnny follows. The light of Taeil's fire once again illuminates their surroundings, allowing them to navigate around and over the limbs and briars and fallen logs. It's slow going, but they're close to Dongyoung. The strings hang near to them, drifting forward at a pace that matches their own. 

The sky's beginning to tinge with the first hints of light when they burst out of the forest and into the open. They're standing on a cliff – Dongyoung stands near the edge, facing them with a sour grimace. 

There's no warning; fire ripples across the ground and Dongyoung launches at them. A surge of water meets and matches the fire, the two waves of magic cancelling one another out as Johnny and Taeil move to meet Dongyoung's attack. Johnny catches Dongyoung's first blade with one of his own, and Taeil catches the other in a hand protected by a gauntlet of magic energy. Johnny's second blade slices across Dongyoung's stomach – he was fast enough to move back that the blade merely grazed his skin, but the line of red left behind was enough to make Johnny feel like they had a fighting chance. 

(It may have been two against one, but this was Dongyoung. He always had something up his sleeve.)

Ice flows over the ground; Taeil's doing, Johnny knows. It's met by fire, the ice melting away and the fire dying out once it's gone. Taeil and Dongyoung are giving one another intense glares again, and Johnny takes the momentary distraction to draw his revolver. 

The moment he cocks the hammer back, however, Dongyoung is moving; he launches himself at Taeil and they collide, going to the ground and rolling back and forth. They're grappling, and Johnny knows Taeil is at a serious disadvantage. Dongyoung's bigger than him and probably better at groundfighting, which is more of Johnny's forte than Taeil's. 

Pulling Dongyoung off of Taeil is easier than expected; Johnny accidentally times it perfectly, his pull coinciding with Taeil stabbing Dongyoung in the shoulder. Their enemy lets go of Taeil and Johnny is able to haul him up with ease, but then Dongyoung's whirling around and slogging him in the nose and Johnny punches back, the world narrowing to only the two of them as they exchange blows and Johnny hooks across with a knife in hand. Dongyoung throws up an arm to protect his throat and the blade glides through flesh, cutting almost to the bone. 

Dongyoung's more aware of his surroundings than he seems; when Taeil moves in, Dongyoung maneuvers to keep Johnny between he and Taeil. Effectively, he used them against one another – but it's a maneuver that the two of them won't allow him to get away with a second time.

They move at the same time; Johnny goes for the throat and Taeil for the stomach, both attacking from a different side. Dongyoung, however, isn't to be so easily beat; he takes three large retreating steps, a wall of flames washing up in his wake. Taeil's swirls of water cut through the fire and they lunge after him once again, focused on their target. 

Dongyoung looks between the two of them and moves; not away, but straight toward Johnny. He slams into him, cold steel slicing through flesh. Johnny feels it, realizes there are razor sharp blades driving through his ribcage, and thrashes until he can plunge his own knife deep into Dongyoung's side. It's too late, though. The damage has been done.

 

* * *

 

Taeil has always been told, since he was a small child, that vengeance will always cost you dearly. It's something he'd never really listened to, and he regrets that now. He cradles Johnny's head in his lap, finding it hard to breathe – Johnny's breathing is ragged, red glistening on his lips, but he's trying to smile. Dongyoung lays forgotten in a pool of his own blood, his throat hacked open by Taeil in a fit of rage and hopelessness upon realizing Johnny wouldn't survive his injuries. 

Through hacks and coughs, Johnny works out, "You know I love you, Taeil." 

It cuts deep – Johnny's not trying to hurt him, of course, but it does; of course Taeil knows Johnny loves him, and he loves him too, but it's so _unfair_ , especially since Johnny is literally dying in his arms and Taeil can't help but blame himself for never listening to those who had tried to warn him about revenge. 

Johnny squeezes his hand and smiles up at him – a lump forms in Taeil's throat as he laces his fingers with Johnny's. Tears are sliding down his face, but he can't say anything; his throat won't work, and all that comes out is a low whining sound. It makes Johnny laugh, but his laughter quickly turns into ragged, pained hacking, and it fades away. 

"I love you, Johnny," Taeil finally manages.

 

* * *

 

 Taeil leaves Reindel with an infant and a body bag. 

_We went straight to hell in pursuit of vengeance, but it came at a cost._

**Author's Note:**

> "magical closet" - um, Taeil can store belongings in a magical "pocket" in the air, and thus it's his magical closet. 
> 
> "min why do u call him their quarry so much and then suddenly call him dongyoung every time u mention him" sue me I couldn't pick a villain
> 
> "is johnny wearing that terrible cherry bomb bomb pack?" heh maybe, if that's what you want ;D 
> 
> "wtf does the ending mean and where did the kid come from?" I have the sequel already planned and will probably be starting it soon (rip me), so that's leading into what I've got planned for the sequel. 
> 
> "what happened to Jeno?" uhhhhhh basically Dongyoung killed him but the details will be gone over in the sequel 
> 
> anyw this was a long ass ride but I really wrote it in eight days (when I actually worked on it because life has been A Bitch to me as of late)


End file.
